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Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD G. ASMUS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO CHARLES J. WALSER, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,492. dated September l1, 1888.

Application filed November 21, 1887. Serial No. 255.670.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. AsMUs, of

Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The main objects of myinvention are to close the key-hole of a lock, and thus dispense with the drop-escutcheons commonly employed for that purpose t0 prevent the key being turned in the lock from the outside or on the side opposite to that from which it is locked,`and to simplify the construction of the lock.

The-invention consists in the construction and the combination of parts, which will be hereinafter particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved lock with the front plate removed to disclose the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section ofthe movable guard and the adjacent portion of the lock-case, taken through the key-hole. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sliding guard and the spring catch or detent by which the wing of the key is held to one side of the key-hole; and Fig. 4. is a vertical cross-section, taken centrally through the key-hole, of the sliding guard and a portion of the lock-case in connection with the key.

B represents the lock-case, of the usual or any suitable form and construction by which it is rendered applicable to various positions and uses such as locks of this class are usually employed for.

A is the sliding bolt, slotted at a to receive and slide over the xed post c, and provided with a projection, a', as shown in Fig. 1.

C is a simple tumbler of the ordinary form, pivoted upon the fixed post c, and having a slot, c', notched at the upper side to engage the projection a of the bolt and retain the same in either its advanced or withdrawn position in the usual manner.

D is a spring acting upon the tumbler C to (No model.)

cause the notches in tumbler C' to engage the projection a on bolt A.

The several parts of the lock thus described are of the ordinary well-known forms; but may be of any suitable construction and arrangement different from that shown, although I prefer for use with. my improvements, to be hereinafter described, a simple construction, which is all that is needed.

E is a plate or guard formed on opposite sides with sockets or recesses e c to receive and furnish bearings for the end of the keystem and with perforations to receive the posts F F, upon which it is arranged to slide within the lock-'case B from side to side thereof. To afford a greater bearing-surface and to hold the guard E more positively in its upright position, I provide said guard with hubs or flanges ff around the perforations through which the posts F F pass. By the insertion of the key in the lock from either side the guard E is moved thereby to the opposite side of the lock, thus closing the key-hole on that side and. preventing any interference with the key from the side of the door opposite to that on which it is locked. It is obvious that whether the key is removed from or remains in the lock the guard E effectually closes the keyhole, preventing drafts of air through the same.

G is a spring secured at one end to a post, g, fixed in the lock-case and projecting at the other end, so as to engage the wing of the key whenthe same is turned to one side of the keyhole, and to thus prevent it from being jarred down into aposition to be forced out of the key-hole from the opposite side by pressure upon the guard E.

The spring G, While it is suiicicntly yielding or exible to permit the wing of the key being turned past it in either direction, is sutlciently stiff to hold it away from the keyhole, as shown in Fig. 1, in which position the key holds the guard E against the opposite side of the lockcase, and thus prevents the insertion of a key in the other key-hole or any instrument by which the lock could be picked or the key therein turned. The spring G also serves as a catch'for locking the guard-plate into position, so that it cannot be moved to jar the key into position for removal. spring therefore serves a twofold purpose, one

IOO

The

being to hold the bit of the key in place, so that it cannot be reached by a tool, and the other to hold the guard-plate in place, so that it cannot be jarred to move the key into position for removal.

To provide the desired number of changes Without multiplying the tumblers or complicating the lock, so that the key of one lock cannot be used in others, I provide the guard E with wards e c, which may be variously arranged and t corresponding clefts in the proper key. These wards e e may be broken, as shown in Fig. 1, or continuous, as shownin Fig. 3, and in connection therewith I may ernploy to produce a greater number of changes wards b b, as shown in Fig. 2, which may be variously arranged on the inner sides of the lock-case to lit various arrangements of clefts in different keys. I may secure a number of 2o changes also by varying the throw of the tumbler C to release the bolt A and by providing keys having wings of different lengths to correspond with the required throw of the different tumblers C.

I claim- The combination, in a lock, of a sliding guard movable within the lock from side to Side between the key-holes, guides for said guard,and an interior catch or dctent arranged to engage the key to one side of the key-hole to hold it out of line with the hole and prevent the sliding of the plate, substantially as (lescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature iu presence of two witnesses.

EDXVARD G. ASMUS.

W'itnesses:

CHAs. L. Goss7 J oHN A. STONE. 

